He waves off my offer. “I can afford to do all of that. Don’t worry.” Is he for real right now? He’s incredibly nonchalant about his life-changing offer.
I drop my eyes to my glass and twist it by the stem. “I guess we’d need some kind of contract?”
He lifts one shoulder and drops it. “If it would make you feel better, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I’ll give you my swimmers until you’re pregnant, and then we’ll go our separate ways, never to see each other again.”
And why does my heart squeeze tight at the thought of that?
I tuck my hair behind my ear, glancing toward the bar, looking for Mel. Suddenly, I’m incredibly hot. His gaze is locked on my face, and I swallow my nerves. “Uhm, I’m not sure I feel comfortable. The clinic vets its donors. When I make my selection, I have a file I can read through to find the match that suits me best.”
He shifts in his seat and taps his fingers on the table between us like he doesn’t have a care in the world. “If you want to make up a questionnaire, I’ll answer your questions. I haven’t got anything to hide.”
I blow out a breath. This guy seems happy enough to do anything I ask. “Are you positive?”
“Yeah, I’d be happy to do whatever makes you comfortable.” Even though his superficial body language is trying to portray this is no big deal, I can see the tightness around his eyes and across his shoulders. It’s contradictory to his words and obvious actions.
“Why? Why would you help a complete stranger have a baby?” Why would someone offer to get a stranger pregnant? I can’t help but question his motives.
He blows out a breath and glances around the club. When I follow his eyes, I notice Mel is still talking to his friend at the bar. Their conversation looks a lot lighter than ours as she throws her head back with laughter. “I like to help people where I can. It’s not like you need a kidney, it’s just sperm. I make new sperm every day.” He chuckles, his eyes sparkling in the low light. He digs his hand into his pocket and pulls out a black business card, handing it to me.
Jackson & Bakeris all it says on the front in stylish silver block letters. It gives no clue about what type of business it is. I flip it over to find an email and phone number.
“What type of work do you do?” Not that it’s my business, it has nothing to do with his semen health or count.
“My friend and I”—he points his chin toward his friend at the bar, still chatting with Mel—“hack computer systems for companies to test out their security. Then we help them fix any issues they may have to secure their system.”
“Oh … that … that sounds … uh … like you’re very smart.” Geez, Sarah, could you sound any more juvenile?
“We’re pretty good at what we do.” He doesn’t come across as cocky or boastful as he says it, more like he’s simply stating a fact.
“What made you get into that line of work?”
“It was fun. We met in college doing computer science, and in our spare time, we messed around to see if we could hack into big corporations. Then we would send them an email explaining the issues we found in their system. Once we worked out companies would actually pay us to test their system, we decided to start taking it more seriously and it sort of grew from there.”
“Wow. That’s incredible. Congratulations on making a fun hobby work out for you.”
“Thanks.” He pauses as if thinking about something as he glances around the club. “Would you like to dance?”
“Sure.” I smile at him and then slide out of the booth, him following behind and before I can stop myself, I add extra sway to my hips. His warm hand takes up residence on my lower back, sending goosebumps racing over my body.
Don’t get attached, Sarah. He’s just gonna give you his sperm. No big deal.
We make it to the dance floor, the upbeat music fills my body, and I have no choice but to move. There’s not a lot of room on the dance floor, so … shit, I don’t even know this guy’s name. I chuckle and he gives me a puzzled look. I lean in close so he can hear me, my breast grazing his arm. “I just realized I don’t know your name. I’m Sarah, by the way.”
He chuckles, then moves his mouth next to my ear. His hot breath hits the crook of my neck as I draw in a breath soaked with his citrus scent.
So sexy.Stop it, Sarah!
“My family and friends call me AJ. Since I’m going to be your donor, I’ll consider you a friend.” He draws back and winks at me. His soulful eyes melting my insides.
This is never going to work if I get attached to this guy. I’ve known him a whole thirty minutes and I’m already feeling things I shouldn’t. Sure, he’s attractive. Physically, he’s everything I look for in a guy: tall, dark,andhandsome. It seems unfair that I’ve met him under the circumstances I have. The song changes to a slower-than-usual version of “Slow Hands,” the bass thumping heavily, pulsing through my body.
AJ moves in closer. Landing one hand on my hip, he spins me around. The front of his body molds to the back of mine, his strong thighs against my butt. Heat races up my spine, and I can’t stop myself from pressing back into him.What is wrong with me?
Bodies press in on us from both sides, and his other hand comes around my front, holding me to him with firm pressure. Dragging my hair away from my neck, I reach up, moving my arms to the music. His hands slide up my body, trailing over my exposed flesh, sending flames licking through my blood as his hands tangle with mine above us. The chemistry between us is potent. Using his hips, he moves his body and mine in time with the sensual rhythm, and I get lost in the music—in the moment—with this handsome stranger who may well end up being the father of my baby.
CHAPTER4
–aj–